


Flutter

by yeaka



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 00:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21437188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Legolas is a terrible liar.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 108





	Flutter

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

He’s sprawled out in his quarters, lounging across the wooden bench beneath his window, when something unusual passes over the rim of his scroll. Thranduil lowers it just enough to spot his son strolling through his quarters. Thranduil blinks, then sharply calls out, “Legolas,” before his son can get any further.

Legolas’ whole body cringes as though he’s been caught in the middle of a crime. But he turns to Thranduil with a suspiciously wide smile, and he greets, “Good evening, Ada!”

For a split second, Thranduil had thought that his pint-sized prince was already sporting a crown. Now that he’s properly looking, he can see that there’s no circlet around Legolas’ little forehead, only various accessories—several large, velvety black butterflies resting about his hair. They decorate the golden strands like a crown of flowers, but a living one—their wings still intermittently flap, their fuzzy antennae feeling the air around them. They don’t appear to be caught, but instead seem to be choosing to rest there, as though they’ve made a nest of it. Either Legolas hasn’t noticed or he doesn’t mind. Thranduil sincerely hopes the latter, because he didn’t raise his son to be so dreadfully unobservant. 

More importantly, the butterflies are evidence of a promise broken. Thranduil gives Legolas a chance to come clean and levelly asks, “Did you sneak out into the forest again?”

“No, Ada,” Legolas promises, his big blue eyes even wider than usual, as though imploring Thranduil to believe him. Thranduil wouldn’t put it past his offspring to attempt to use cuteness as a cover. Thranduil isn’t swayed. 

Thranduil drawls, “Because you know I have told you many times never to leave the keep without my permission.”

“I know. I did not go.”

Thranduil squints. Legolas smiles hard enough to show all his perfect teeth. One of the butterflies crawls over onto his shoulder. Legolas spots it in the corner of his eye, then hurriedly splutters, “Uh... so I did go to the balcony, and something wild happened; all of these butterflies came flying right up—”

“Legolas?”

“Yes, Ada?”

“You are grounded.”

Legolas’ face falls into a look of utter betrayal, as though having to stay in his enormous royal quarters is even a punishment. He bites his bottom lip and chews it, looking even more adorable, but Thranduil doesn’t feel any sympathy. He refuses to be manipulated by someone shorter than his left leg. When Legolas doesn’t move on his own, Thranduil jabs a finger in the direction of his quarters.

Legolas sulkily trails off, taking his little kingdom of butterflies with him.


End file.
